Resilient protective edging for floor coverings such as rugs, carpets or the like



NOV. 19, 1968 w T JR 3,411,977

RESILIENT PROTECTIVE EDGING FOR FLOOR COVERINGS SUCH AS RUGS, CARPETS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 18, 1965 )NVENTOR WILUAM SLATER JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,411,977 RESILIENT PROTECTIVE EDGING FOR FLOOR COVERINGS SUCH AS RUGS, CARPETS OR THE LIKE William Slater, Jr., Glen Ellyn, Ill. (300 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, Ill. 60610) Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,156 2 Claims. (Cl. 161117) This invention relates generally to improvements in devices for protecting the edges of floor coverings such as rugs, carpets or the like, and has particular reference to a unit resilient moulding which can be separated into discrete halves and thereafter joined in overlapping and underlapping relationship with respect to the edge of the floor covering.

According to the present invention the protective edging is moulded or extruded of resilient material and consists of first and second floor covering protecting elements, the two elements being connected by a thin web which is formed during the moulding or extruding process. The two elements are adapted to be separated along the thin web at the job site, and the first so separated element is provided with a thin flange adapted to underlie the marginal portions of the floor covering and to have a lockslot extending along and adjacent to the edge thereof. The previously separated second protecting element provides a rainp effecting a smooth transition from the floor to the surface of the floor covering, and includes a looking member adapted to engage with the lock-slot of the first element so as to hold the two protecting elements together. The first element may be cemented to the floor, if desired, and the underside of the second element may also be cemented.

With the foregoing principles in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an easily placed device for protecting the edge of rugs, carpeting or the like, said device being characterized by being able to be held in place upon both wood and concrete floors without the need for conventional securing means.

Another object is to provide a protective edging for a carpet or the like having a web-like element arranged to underlie portions of the carpet, and having an exposed portion effecting a smooth transition from the floor to the top surface of the floor covering, thereby minimizing possibility of stumbling or the like.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview of a floor covering protecting device adapted to be separated into first and second rug protecting elements;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how the moulding of FIG. 1 may be folded lengthwise of itself for shipping the same conveniently; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the first and second rug protecting elements showing the same in situ for protecting the edge of a rug or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the improved edging according to the present invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10, and is in the form of an extrusion made of resilient material such as rubber or vinyl, and comprised of a first protecting element 11 and a second protecting element 12. These are joined longitudinally by a thin connecting web 13 which is readily severable or capable of being torn along its length, so that elements 11 and 12 become discrete pieces.

First protecting element 11 has a thin web 14, a side 16 of which is adapted to be cemented to a floor F, if desired. Web 14 has an upper side 17 upon which floor covering PC is adapted to lie. As seen in FIG. 3 floor covering FC is of a commercial grade of carpeting, such as may be found in a hotel, and may comprise a foam 3,411,977 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 rubber backing 18 to which the underside of a carpeting C is glued.

Both sides 16 and 17 of the web are suitably striated or embossed as at 19, see FIG. 2, for the reception of a suitable adhesive.

The flange 14 is formed integrally with a lock slot 21 adapted to extend along and be adjacent to the edge of the floor covering FC. Lock slot 21 has a pair of inturned lips or tangs 22 adapted to engage with a locking member 23 extending longitudinally of the second protecting element 12. Locking member 23 has a pair of opposed shoulders 24 thereon adapted to move past the inturned lips or tangs 22 and to be retained thereby in the locked position of locking member 23 to lock slot 21.

Second protecting element 12 is generally sloped from the floor F to the upper surface of the floor covering FC to present a substantially smooth surface for walking, and provide a smooth transition from floor F to floor covering FC.

As seen particularly in FIG. 3, second protecting element 12 includes an up-sloping rarnp portion 26 comunencing from a starting edge 27 at floor F and extending toward floor covering FC and over the same. Ramp portion 26 is integral with a down-sloping ramp portion 28 which meets the upper surface of floor covering FC.

Second protecting element 12 has a floor contacting surface 29 which may be striated as at 31 for the reception of adhesive holding element 12 to the floor F.

A rib 31 extending longitudinally of ramp portion 26 is in contact with floor at a foot 33, and provides support for the ramp portion 26. Foot 33 may be cemented to the floor F if desired.

In the installation of the edging of the invention the first protecting element 11 is severed from second protecting element 12, and any flash from connecting web 13 can be left on first protecting element 11 on its flange 14, as the latter is concealed from view. Ordinarily the flange 14 need be glued only to the underside of floor covering FC, but at door openings it may be desirable to glue flange 14 both to floor F and to floor covering FC.

After the aforesaid operation is completed, the second protective member 12 is placed in position as seen in FIG. 3, and the locking member 23 inserted into lock-slot 21. This ordinarily can be done by pounding with a mallet or wood block hammer.

If the structure is used on carpet runners, it will produce a handsome finished mat or runner. By reason of the fact the edging is flexible, it will hug closely to irregular floor contours eliminating tripping hazards.

Customarily, the edge is shipped folded on itself as seen in FIG. 2. In such condition it can be banded with pressure sensitive tape for convenience in shipping. In the usual case the edging is shipped in convenient lengths, from which the two elements can be readily separated, and then be recombined as seen in FIG. 3.

While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the claims here appended,

I claim:

1. An edging for protecting the edges of a floor covering comprising an integral resilient sheet formed of first and second protecting elements joined longitudinally by a thin connecting web; said first protecting element having a lock-slot extending along and adjacent to the edge thereof, said first element being tapered from a greater thickness adjacent said edge to a lesser thickness adjacent said web thereby providing a thin flange; said second protecting element having a locking member, adapted to pro vide engagement with said lock-slot, extending from a surface thereof and said second protecting element being generally sloped upward from said web to a portion of said second protecting element which is at the surface oppositely disposed from said locking member, said second protecting element being generally sloped downward from said portion to the edge thereof; whereby when said web is severed forming discrete first and second protecting elements, said flange of said first protecting element is adapted to underlie said floor covering along a marginal portion thereof with said lock-slot extending outward from said marginal portion, and said second protecting element is adapted to provide a sloped configuration extending from the surface on which said floor covering is laid to the surface of said floor covering and overlying said marginal portion thereof with said locking member being in engagement with said lock-slot.

protecting element includes a rib extending from the surface of said second protecting element from which said locking member extends and located at a position between said locking member and said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATETNS Re. 24,613 3/1959 Hageltorn 161-116 XR 2,004,204 6/1935 Jackson 161l49 XR 2,254,210 7/1941 Cunnington 161-63 3,238,554 3/1966 Mann 15217 3,296,673 1/1967 Kirkpatrick 16144 XR ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner.

2. An edging as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second 15 R. H. CRISS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN EDGING FOR PROTECTING THE EDGES OF A FLOOR COVERING COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL RESILIENT SHEET FORMED OF FIRST AND SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENTS JOINED LONGITUDINALLY BY A THIN CONNECTING WEB; SAID FIRST PROTECTING ELEMENT HAVING A LOCK-SLOT EXTENDING ALONG AND ADJACENT TO THE EDGE THEREOF, SAID FIRST ELEMENT BEING TAPERED FROM A GREATER THICKNESS ADJACENT SAID EDGE TO A LESSER THICKNESS ADJACENT SAID WEB THEREBY PROVIDING A THIN FLANGE; SAID SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENT HAVING A LOCKING MEMBER, ADAPTED TO PROVIDE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCK-SLOT, EXTENDING FROM A SURFACE THEREOF AND SAID SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENT BEING GENERALLY SLOPED UPWARD FROM SAID WEB TO A PORITION OF SAID SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENT WHICH IS AT THE SURFACE OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FROM SAID LOCKING MEMBER, SAID SECONG PROTECTING ELEMENT BEING GENERALLY SLOPED DOWNWARD FROM SAID PORTION TO THE EDGE THEREOF; WHEREBY WHEN SAID WEB IS SEVERED FORMING DISCRETE FIRST AND SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENTS, SAID FLANGE OF SAID FIRST PROTECTING ELEMENT IS ADAPTED TO UNDERLIE SAID FLOOR COVERING ALONG A MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF WITH SAID LOCK-SLOT EXTENDING OUTWARD FROM SAID MARGINAL POTION, AND SAID SECOND PROTECTING ELEMENT IS ADAPTED TO PROVIDFE A SLOPED CONFIGURATION EXTENDING FROM THE SURFACE ON WHICH SAID FLOOR COVERING IS LAID TOK THE SURFACE OF SAID FLOOR COVERING AND OVERLYING SAID MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF WITH SAID LOCKING MEMBER BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCK-SLOT. 